Wrappers



c. w. VoGT July 29, 1958 WRAPPERS Original Filed Oct. 28, 1948 0 1 4 Q a d a v.1 c 7 2 Q n H G. c 1 i l J ml 5 llmiililllllilli111 J 2 d/ 1 w w w 2 m m a L. T i, j

INVENTOR Clafle'nae lI T V21 2? ATTORNEYS United States Patent WRAPPERS Clarence W. Vogt, Weston, Conn.

Original application October 28, 1948, Serial No. 56,942,

now Patent No. 2,705,104, dated March 29, 1955. Divided and this application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 454,016

Claims. (Cl. 229-87) This invention relates to enwrapments for commodities, particularly plastic substances, and more specifically pertains to an improved form of enwrapment cooperating with a reinforcement for products such as butter, margarine, lard, candy, cigarettes, soap, and the like. This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 56,942, filed October 28, 1948, now Patent No. 2,705,104.

In packaging commodities and particularly those mentioned above, it is desirable to effectively enclose them with a minimum amount of wrapping material in order to minimize losses by evaporation therefrom and to guard them against contamination, for example. Further, when wrapping such plastic commodities it has been found in the past that reinforcement of the package is necessary to prevent it from being crushed when such packages are transported and stacked. Such protection against external stresses must be simple and inexpensive and yet effective and easily employed in the enwrapments without involving complicated folding methods and apparatus.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved enwrapment and reinforcement for the above-mentioned commodities which effectively encloses them with a minimum amount of wrapping material and provides protection against external stresses that might deform the wrapped product.

It is another object of the invention to provide enwrapments and reinforcements in the form of blanks shaped and formed in an improved fashion to facilitate the above-described wrapping operations in which the blanks are used.

It is a further object of the invention to provide enwrapments for commodities having the above character in which reinforcement means are integrally mounted to provide protection from external stresses for the completed package.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a chain of enwrapments each formed with a plait in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section of one of the enwrapments illustrated in Figure 1 taken on the view line 2-2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a reinforcing strip of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse section illustrating the plait of Figures 1 and 2 after being opened;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one end of a partially formed package including the reinforcing strip illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one end of the completed package.

Referring to a typical embodiment of the invention with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, a chain is formed by a plurality of enwrapments 40 separable by weakened lines 21 with holes 19 provided for indexing purposes. It is obvious that the tear lines 21 may comprise any suitable means which will facilitate and localize the separation of the enwrapments 40. Thus, each of them may be formed by a row of perforations or slits or a single long slit as shown herein extending nearly to the edges of the enwrapments 40 as shown in the present embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that instead of the tear lines 21 defining the individual wrappers 40, each of the wrappers may have adhesive disposed on their abutting edges to detachably connect them together as shown in the above-identified copending application.

Each enwrapment 40 is formed with a box plait substantially midway between its opposite edges proportioned in accordance with the transverse dimensions of the package to be produced. A bottom wall or panel of each plait has a width substantially equal to one side of the desired package while folds 15c and are preferably of equal width to provide side walls equal to the height of the package. Thus, upon opening the plait to receive an article, the spacing of the opposite edges of the wrapper is not altered and portions 17 and 17 which extend from the plait to the slits 21 in opposite directions, may be securely held while the plait is opened and subsequently folded upwardly and overlapped to form the top wall of the package.

In this embodiment of the invention, the parts of the enwrapments 40 are proportioned to form a package of a depth equal to only one-half the width and, therefore, each of the wall portions 15c and 160 is only onequarter of the width of the bottom 140.

In order to hold the plaits formed in the enwrapments 40 in their folded position and to reinforce the completed package against external stresses, a strip 240 formed from a relatively stifr" material extends longitudinally along each plait, preferably extending somewhat beyond the edges of the enwrapments 4 (l. A tear line 21c, preferably a slit as shown, extends to further indexing holes on the ends of the strip 24c to efiectively divide it into two reinforcements 24d. The strips 24c are formed with a width preferablyf double the height of the com-.

pleted package in order to reinforce the side walls thereof upon opening up the plait as will be explained in detail below.

Transverse fold lines 26 are positioned a short distance inwardly from the edges of the reinforcements 240 to form end flaps 25 having a length greater than onehalf the width of the panel 140 of the plait, which forms the bottom of the package. The undersurface of the strips 240 are coated with an adhesive 27 in areas registering with the portions 140 and 160 of the enwrapments 40. In addition, at least a portion of the undersurface of the end flaps 25 is coated with the adhesive 27 as shown in Figure 3. The adhesive 27 may comprise pressure-sensitive or thermoplastic adhesive which permits the ready separation of the component parts by peeling, or by heating and then peeling, which prevent separation by pulling on the parts in their own planes.

For example, one type of adhesive that lends itself to this application is a delayed-action thermoplastic which requires heat to render it tacky and readily peelable and which thereafter retains sufficient tackiness for a short period to re-adhere with no additional heat and only slight pressure. The machine or apparatus employed for packaging may be provided with heating means which will Warm up the adhesive to facilitate the opening ofthe plait so that when these portions are freed, the adhesive on the strip 24c will remain tacky for a short time to facilitate later sealing.

In the use of the above-described enwrapments 40, the

chain of wrappers may be'fed endwise and intermittently, if a single filling device is used. Alternatively, the chain may be supplied continuously and uniformly to a rotary device having a peripheral row of pockets or molds into whichplastic material is fed to form blocks 26c ofpredetermined size and shape and of dimensions corresponding to the width and depth of the channel produced by opening up the box plait, as shown in my Patent No. 2,653,430.

In apparatus for forming the packages, a mold having the configuration shown for the opened plait of Figure 4 may be employed. Thus, with one of the enwrapments 40 folded as shown in Figure 2-and positioned with its box plait over a pocket channel or mold, light pressure on the strip 24c by a former before or when it reaches the filling station or by the block being packaged at the filling station will break hat the weakened line 210 to divide it into the strips 24d which'are subsequently secured to and reinforce or stitfen the sides c, 16c of the package as shown in Figure 4. As it is forced down,

the bottom wall 14c of the plait will remain parallel and close to the bottom surface of the block 26c and the adhesive 27 will permit it to peel away from the strip 24c and reach the position shown in Figure 4. During this operation, the portions'16c will remain fastened to the strip 24c by the adhesive 27. The peeling of the panel 14c is easily accomplished due to its thinness and extreme flexibility. Consequently, the strips 24d will also be joined to the portions 150 to reinforce the side walls of the package.

It should be noted that air pockets will not be formed between the block 260 and the walls 150 and 16c when the block is deposited on them so that no air will enter between the block bottom or block sides and the wrapper during the movement of the block and wrapper into the pocket. When the block 260 has moved down into its final position, the box plait will be in form shown in Figure 4 with the wrapper closely enclosing it. During the movement of the block 26:: and the opening of the plait, the wall portions 17 and 17' will not have moved with respect to the mold being employed due to the box plait expansion permitting the anchoring thereof in any suitable manner. Of course, the wall portions 17 and 17' may be held solely by their connection to the adjacent enwrapments 40.

It will be evident that a series of molds may 'be suitably spaced adjacent to each other so that the enwrapments 40 need not be separated from each "other until after they 'have advanced beyond the filling stations. In this instance, the indexing means engaging the index holes 19 will hold both the wall portions 17 and 17 from moving with respect to the mold during the forcing of the commodity block 26c into the pocket and the separation of the enwrapments 40 from the chain will be effected after or just prior to the removal of each enwrapment 49 containing a block of the packaged commodity.

Subsequent to the filling of the pockets with the block of a particular product, the end flaps of each of the strips 24d are folded against the ends of the block 26c audit will be apparent that the outer'fiap will adhere to the inner onedue to theadhesive 27 on the outer surface of the latter. Since the width of the enwrapment 40 is somewhat greater than the distance between the fold lines 26 of the reinforcements 24c, edges 28 of the enwrapments 40 will extend a short distance beyond the edge and ends of the block 260. These marginal portions 28 may then be folded over against the outer adhesive coated surface of the end flaps 25 and will adhere thereto as shown in Figure 6. As portions'of the end flaps 25 are not covered by the folded over marginal portions 28 of the wrapper, these portions need not be and preferably do not have the adhesive 27 thereon, adhesive on said flaps being disposed as shown in Figure 3.

It is easily understood that each of the divided strips 24c reinforces four sides'of the completed package aiding it to retain its form in handling or stacking. The enwrapment 40 may thus be of very thin and transparent material so that the contents of the package may be readily observed at the top and the bottom of the package. If the packaged material be of different colors, such as multi-flavored bricks of ice-:cream-or if it contains solid pieces such as, for example, nuts, cherries, or the like, the reinforcingstrip '24c may have holes 29 therein as shown in Figure 3, sorpositioned as not to materially reduce their reinforcing action but to permit the different items to be seen through the transparent wrapper.

It will be understood that the above-described embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the specific apparatus disclosed herein but is to be defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, an enwrapment formed witha box'plait adapted-to bo-opened to form a channel, a'reinforcing'strip "carrying adhesive areas, the reinforcing stripbeingadhesively secured to the enwrapment along and adjacent to the plaitand extending along the box plait beyond the edges of the enwrapment to maintain the plaittherein, and means forming a longitudinally extending weakened line on the reinforcing strip facilitating its division'intotwo reinforcements, whereby light pressure exerted on-the upper'surface of said strip will divide it and open the boxplaitto form the channel, the reinforcements stiffening opposite'walls of the-channel which is adapted to be closed at both ends by folding the extending portions of the strip in an overlapping relationship.

2. As an article of manufacture, an enwrapment formed with two -'transvers e "expandable spaced folds adapted to be-opene'd uptoform a channel, a reinforcing strip overlying the spaced folds and adhesively secured to the enwrapment'to maintain'the folds in their unexpanded'position,'and'means forming a longitudinally extending weakenedline on the'reiriforcing strip facilitating its division into two reinforcements, whereby light pressure exerted on the upper-surface of saidstn'p will divided it and expand the folds to form-'the'channel with the two reinforcementsstiffening opposite walls of the channel.

3. As an article of manufacture, an enwrapment .formedwith t-wotrans'vers'e spaced folds forming with a-portion of the enwrapment therebetween an expandable box plait adapted to be opened up to form a channel, a

reinforcing strip formed 'witlitransverse score lines spaced from its ends-to determine the length of the package, the strip extending beyond the score lines at least one-half of the channel width, said strip overlying the box plait and adhesively secured to the enwrapment to maintain the box plait in its unexpanded-position, and means forming a longitudinallyextending weakened line on the reinforcing strip to facilitate its division into two reinforcements, whereby light pressure exerted on the upper surface of said strip will divide it'and expandedthe box plait to form the channel, the two reinforcements 'stiflening opposite walls of the channel which is adapted-to be closed at both ends by folding the -extending'portions of the strip in an overlapping relationship.

4. As an article of manufacture, a plurality of serially connected-enwrapments, each of the enwrapments formed with two transverse spaced folds parallel to the connecting means'an'd adapted to-be opened upto form a channel, reinforcing strips-overlying the spaced folds and adhesively secured to each enwrapment to maintain the folds in their unexpande'dposition, and means forming a longitudinally extending weakened line on each of the reinforcing strips to facilitate its'division into two reinforcements, whereby light pressure exerted on the upper surface ofeach of saidsu'ips will divide it and expand-the underlying folds to form the channel with the two reinforcements stiffening opposite walls of each of the channels.

5. As an article of manufacture, a plurality of serially connected enwraprnents, each of the enwrapments formed with two transverse spaced folds parallel to the connecting means and forming with a portion of the enwrapment therebetween an expandable box plait adapted to be opened up to form a channel, reinforcing strips formed with transverse score lines spaced from their ends to de- 10 termine the length of the package, the strips extending beyond the score lines at least one-half of the channel width, the strips overlying the box plaits and adhesively secured to the enwrapments to maintain the box plaits in their unexpanded position, and means forming a longitudinally extending weakened line on each of said reinforcing strips to facilitate its division into two reinforcements,

whereby light pressure exerted on the upper surface of each of said strips will divide it and expand the underly ing box plait to form the channel, the two reinforcements stiffening opposite walls of the channel which is adapted to be closed at both ends by folding the extending portions of the strips in an overlapping relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,472,806 Newbold Nov. 6, 1923 1,789,699 Durham Jan. 20, 1931 2,123,771 Crowell July 12, 1938 2,296,951 Rosen et al. Sept. 29, 1942 2,351,805 Bonnaire June 20, 1944 2,628,764 Rubinstein et al Feb. 17, 1953 

